Freezing device



Feb. 26, 1952 E F, SCHWELLER 2,587,233

FREEZING DEvicE Filed Feb. 16. 1949 as Y INVENTo.

Patented Feb. 26, 1952 FREEZING DEVICE Edmund F. Schweller, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application February 16, 1949, Serial No. 76,688

8 Claims.

This invention relates to freezing devices for liquids such Vas ice tray and grid combinations employed in refrigerator cabinets.

In recent Vyears Various ice tray and grid structures therefor have appeared on the market wherein the grid structure included a lever mechanism for moving certain of the grid walls relative to certain other grid walls so as to break the bond between ice blocks formed in the ice com partments and walls of the grid and tray for facilitating the removal of ice blocks therefrom. In these structures the lever or an operating bar of the grid wall moving mechanism carried by the grid was designed to lie a substantial distance across the top of the grid and to rest upon the top edge of the walls thereof. Trays with such grid structures therein cannot be stacked or mounted one upon another in a freezing cornpartment because the lever, lying centrally and longitudinally along the top of the grid, interferes with the mounting of a companion or like tray and grid device thereon.

It is an object of my invention to lprovide an improved freezing device for disposition in a Vlow temperature compartment.

Another object of my invention is to provide a grid structure which has a lever secured thereto and lying across the top thereof with vmeansy whereby the lever, when the grid is positioned in the tray, will not interfere lwith the mountin and support of another tray thereon.

A furtherjobject'of my invention is toprovide freezing devices eachr including a tray having a grid therein which may be stacked ormounted one upon another to-form a vertical ro'w'or tier of such freezing devices within alow temperaf ture compartment.

A. still further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a grid for a freezing de vice with certain walls which extend upwardly beyond certain other walls thereof above the top of a tray associated therewith to form a saddlelike e mounting or support for permittingV the stacking of one device upon a companion or like device.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a refrigerator cabinet provided with a low temperature compartment having freezingdevices of the present invention stacked one on top of the other therein; v

Fig. 2 is a side view of a grid structure construed as herein disclosed and adapted to be` positioned in a tray;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the freezing device of the presentfinvention showing the grid disclosed in Fig. 2 disposed in a tray;

Fig.-4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing one transverse wall of the grid having portions thereof extending a substantial distance above the top of another transverse grid` wall;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a plurality of freezing devices stacked one on top of the other; and Y Fig. 6 is an end view of the stacked freezing devices shown in Fig. 5. Y

Referring to the drawing, for illustrating my invention, I have shown in Fig. 1 thereof a refrigerating apparatus comprising a household refrigerator cabinet generally represented by the reference character I0 and including an insulated low temperature compartment Il, normally closedrby a door I2, and a higher temperature insulated compartment therebelow normally closed by a door I4. The interior of both compartments may be cooled by evaporators of a single refrigerating system or of a double refrigerating system which evaporators may be in the form of conduit convolutions wrapped around and secured to the exterior wall surfaces'of the metalV liner'ofeach insulated compartment. V'The re'- frigerating system with which the Vevaporators are associated includes a refrigerant translating and circulating unit for withdrawing vaporized refrigerant from one evaporator and for compressing and liquefying the evaporated refrigerant, and recirculating the liquid refrigerant back to the evaporator as is common practice in the art. 'Ihe interior'of compartment Il is usually maintained, say for example, between 0 and 5 or 10 Esfor freezing foods, liquids and for storage of frozen foods. The interior of the compartment closed by door I4 is usually maintained say, for example, between 38, 45 or 50 F. for the stor' age of other foods such as foods left over from the table. -The construction and operation of refrigerators of the type disclosed are conventional and wellknown and since such refrigeratorsV form no part of the present invention 'a more detailed description thereof is believed unnecessary herein.

My invention is .directed primarily to companion or like freezing devices for liquids to be frozen in a low temperature compartment such as compartment H of the refrigerator cabinet Il).Y These freezing devices each includev a rectangu.

lar tray and a grid removably disposed in the tray for dividing the interior thereof into a plurality of compartments so as to form ice blocks when water is frozen in the device. In Fig. 2 I show a unitary grid structure I5 comprising a two-part longitudinal upright wall I6 and a plurality of upright walls I1 extending transversely through the 'plane vthereof and` being novably interlocked therewith. Suitable provisions are included in the structure of the grid to move certain walls thereof relative to certain other walls so as to break the ice bond between ice blocks frozen in the device and to facilitate rmoval of the ice blocks therefrom. 'A leverage mechanism is mounted on-and--carri'ed-by the grid structure for causing the relative movement of its walls. This mechanismv comprisesra leverV I8 pivotally mounted as at I9 to the lowermost part of longitudinal wall IB and having af link connection 2l with an uppermost part of the twopart wall; r6. The detailed, constructionY andV operation of.,` such a grid'- structure is now wellknown to the public and for amore specific description thereof reference is made to the Richard M. Storer Patent 2,351,303, dated June 13, 1944, and to the Donald H.'` Reeves APatent 2,416 119, dated February 18, 194'?,y since these are the type of lfreezing devices co-which my invention is particularly directed;v The' unitary grid structure I5 is; adapted to be positionedlin a tray 24 (see Figs. 3 and 4), and the tray 24 and grid I5 thereby form-a freezing devicegenerally represented by the reference character 2 5'and the walls of which provide a plurality -of ice block compartments 26. It will be noted that the lever I8 of the leverage mechanism on grid I5A lies longitudinally a substanti'al` distance across the top of the grid and rests upon the upper edges of the grid walls. Lever I8 is disposed above the top edge or rim 28 ofthe side-wallsof tray 24 when the grid I5 is positioned in the tray and supported upon the fiat` tray bottom wal1n-2lll as is shown in Fig. 4 andin the Storer patent ,heretofore referred to. Obviously lever I8 therefore obstructs the otherwise fiattoprsurfaceof the freezing'device affordedlby the tray rim- 28 and the topi-edges of walls I6 and Il of grid I5 and interferes with or prevents the stacking or; mounting` of one freezingv device 25Uupo'r another similar orcom-y panion device. In order to.A permit the stacking or mounting of vone device 2-5 upon another I provide the present grid` structure I5f with endY transverse walls 31|A which-have a portion extending upwardly above the tops or uppermostportion of..` the intermediate transverse walls I1, wall`V I6`andabove the top edge orrini 28of tray 24 soV as to be above the level of the top oflever I8t The lower portion ofthe two end transverse grid walls 3l are shaped to'conform to the shape of the lower portion of the walls ITI.` Each end transverse wall 3l' includes a central portion eX- tending to the top edge of walls I 5 and I'I and is providedwi'th raised side portions 33 extending upwardly beyond or above the top edge or luppermost'fportionV of 'walls VI6 and Il (see Fig. 4f. EachU ofthe 'raised side portions 33 of 4walls 3|,A are 'provided-with a flatv horizontal topY edge 3 4 located above the level of lever I8 and tapering upwardly or converging into the ears 36'.' providing the lgrid "structure I5Y withj two end transverse walls 3| shaped or of the form as herein shown and described'similar or companion freezing devices 25 are'each Aprovided,with"the four at'horizontal surfaces 34 and theupstanding` ears 36 in the vicinity of corners''offthe A rectangular tray 24. The horizontal surfaces 34 and the ears 36 on grid walls 3I cooperate to form a saddle-like support or mounting above the level of lever I8 for the reception of the fiat bottom wall 29 of tray part 24 of similar freezing devices 25. This construction permits a tray 24 of one device 25 to be stacked or mounted upon and supported 'byanother device 25 as shown in Figs. '5 andl v6; so 'thatithe identical or similar and companion devices may be arranged one on top of the other in a vertical tier within the freezing` compartment II within the refrigerator IDs'ee Fig. 1). It will be noted by reference to Figs.. 5A and. '6 loffthe drawing that the upper freezing device is supported on the saddle-like, hereinbefore-described supports, of the grid in the lower device, in spaced relation to all other portions ofthe lower device. This prevents the formation of any substantial frost or ice bond between the stacked devices and permits an upperldevice "tobe separated from Aits support on a lower d eviee with aminimum of force or effort. In stacking the freezing devices '25 one on top of the other within a compartment such as compartment II the ears 35A on grid walls 3l vengage the lower rounded corner portions of a tray 24 to prevent sliding of4 an upper device 25 horizontally or sidewise relative to a lower device 25. The rearV wall of compartment Ijandithe inner face o fdoor I2, whenthis door is closed, prevents sliding movement ofV an upper device 2.5 lengthwise relative tol another device uponwhich it is supported or mounted.y

From the foregoingitshouldbe apparentA that Iv have made an improvementrin the artvby providing means in thestructure-` of freezing devices capable ofhbeing stackedytovform.- vertical tiers thereof Within freezing compartments, MyV improVemen". is CCQmPlShCQgWh, a mIlmU-mrof added expense and caiibeincorporated-in freezing devofapeltda; ,dsggnzwthlitlhaig' ing; the. prleple.- @.f-.Orefefig therei and, with: out materially changing theirstructure,

While the feria 0l. ereledlms; 0f theinvenofl asihelem dlosed constitutes. a vPreferred form, it is to be understoodthat otherforms might be adoptedfasmy rcome within the scope of'tlieclaimsl What is claimedis asffollowsz 1 A. freezing; d'ivicefcompri'sing in. combination, a tray and'agri disposed therein, said grid including4 a ylon'gitudinalwall and. a plu.- ralityof spacedflapa'rt upright 'transverse walls interlocked together Iand, dividing the vi'nteriorof said tray into compartments, and., portions of the eed trenverewelleof Said grid; extending upwardly beyond the uppermost portionvofthe transverse walllsfof. said. grid .l intermediate said @Bertram/.eres Wells. 'fingeiner@Y the wp, 0f .Seid tray 120..prendeSegreti-.at-the we 0f- Said def vicet abovesaid longitudinal and saidintermedito andbeingitelbekdjtherewith to divide vthe interior of said tray into compartmerits, and portions ofkthe end transversewalls of- Asaidv grid extending! upwardlybereedhel uppermost nomen; of" all otheriwallfstljerelof. and above-the 'top ofY -www to' vrovidegseeelelike.lsupper @we top of said device above said other grid walls for receiving the bottom of the tray of a similar companion freezing device, and said support preventing sliding movement of the upper device relative to the lower device at least in one horizontal direction.

3. A freezing device comprising in combination, a tray and a grid disposed therein, said grid including a longitudinal upright wall and a plurality of spaced apart walls extending transversely thereto and dividing the interior of said tray into compartments, said walls being interlocked together for movement relative to one another, a leverage mechanism carried by said grid and operable to cause said relative movement of the walls thereof, said leverage mechanism including a lever normally lying a substantial distance across the top of said grid above said tray, and portions of the end transverse Walls of said grid extending upwardly beyond the uppermost portion of all other walls thereof, above the top of said tray and above said lever for receiving the bottom of the tray of a similar companion freezing device and suporting the same in spaced relation to said other grid walls and said lever.

4. A freezing device comprising in combination, a tray and a grid disposed therein, said grid including a longitudinal upright wall and -a plurality of spa-ced apart walls extending transversely thereto and dividing the interior of said tray into compartments, said grid walls being interlocked together for movement relative to one another, a leverage mechanism carried by said grid and operable to ycause said relative movement of the walls thereof, said leverage mechanism including a lever normally lying a substantial distance across the top of said grid above said tray, portions of the end transverse walls of said grid extending upwardly beyond the uppermost portion of all other walls thereof, above said lever and above the top of said tray to provide a saddle-like support for receiving the bottom of the tray of a similar companion freezing device and supporting the same in spaced relation to said other walls and said lever, and said support preventing sliding movement of the upper device relative to the lower device at least inone horizontal direction.

5. A freezing device comprising in combination, a rectangular tray and a grid disposed therein, said grid including a plurality of Walls dividing the interior of said tray into compartments, and certain of said grid walls in the vicinity of corners of said tray having a part thereof extending upwardly beyond the uppermost part of all other portions of said device to provide a support for receiving the bottom of the tray of a similar companion freezing device and supporting the same in spaced relation to said other portions of said first named device.

6. A freezing device comprising in combination, a rectangular tray and a grid disposed therein, said grid including a plurality of walls dividing the interior of said tray into compartments, certain of said grid walls in the vicinity of corners of said tray having a part thereof extending upwardly above the uppermost portion of all other grid walls and above the top of said tray, said upwardly extending part of said certain grid walls being shaped to provide a saddlelike support for receiving the bottom of the tray of a similar companion freezing device and supporting the same in spaced relation to said other grid walls, and said support preventing sliding movement of the upper device relative to the lower device at least in one horizontal direction.

7. A freezing device comprising in combination, a tray and a grid disposed therein, said grid having a plurality of upright Walls dividing the interior of said tray into ice block forming compartments, a portion of at least two of said grid Walls extending upwardly beyond the uppermost portion of all other of said plurality of grid walls to provide a mounting at the top of said device above said uppermost portion of said all other grid Walls for receiving the bottom of the tray of a similar companion freezing device and supporting the same in vertical spaced relation to said uppermost portion of said all other grid walls, and means on said two of said grid walls projecting above said mounting for engaging a side of the tray of said companion freezing device and preventing sliding movement thereof relative to said rst named device in at least one horizontal direction.

8. A freezing device comprising in combination, a tray having a curvature at the junction of its bottom and upright Walls, a grid in said tray dividing the interior thereof into ice block forming compartments, said grid having horizontally spaced apart upright wall portions extending upwardly beyond the uppermost part of all other Wall portions thereof to provide a mounting at the top of said device above said uppermost part of said all other grid wall portions for receiving the bottom of the tray of a similar companion freezing device and supporting the same in vertical spaced relation to said uppermost part of said all other grid Wall portions, means on said horizontally spaced apart upright grid wall portions projecting above said mounting and having an inclined surface substantially corresponding to the curvature of said tray, and said curved inclined surface of said upwardly projecting means nestably engaging the tray of said companion freezing device.

EDMUND F. SCHWELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,009,802 Hallock July 30I 1935 2,240,004: Morton Apr. 29, 1941 2,452,686 Sampson Nov. 2, 1948 2,496,133 Sampson Feb. 7, 1950 

